Improvement in rice cleaning-and-poiishing machines



No. 118,889. Patented sep.' 12,1871.

UNITED STATES JOHN N. WHITE, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RICE CLEANING-AND-POLISHING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,889, dated September 12, 1871.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN N. WHITE, of the city of New Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Hulling, Cleaning, and Polishing Rice; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawing annexed forming a part of the same.

My invention relates to a revolving cylinder, from the perimeter of which project two or more lines of revolving rollers of rubber, leather, or other equivalent suitable material, that are slightly winding or spirally placed from one end to the other of said cylinder, and two or more lines of vanes or fans placed parallel with the rollers aforesaid, in combination with an outer open lattice casing or cylinder surrounding the said cylinder, upon which are placed the rubber rollers aforesaid.

The above-described portions of my device rest upon a suitable frame-work, and the interior cylinder is provided with an axis or central shaft continued beyond the ends of the said framework, upon the end of which is placed a pulley, to which rotary motion may be imparted by any motive power conveniently accessible.

But my invention will be better understood by referring to the drawing, whereon Figure l shows a perspective view of my improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the interior or revolving cylinder. 4

Upon a suitable frame, AA, Iplace an open-lattice cylinder, B, composed of strips d, which are rectangular, and, therefore, present sharp edges, as shown. These strips are placed j ust wide enough apart to prevent the rice from passing between them, while the iiner particles of dust or fibrous chaii' from the rice will freely do so, and are so adjusted and fastened by screws that when one of their corners is worn off by use they can each be taken out and put back in such manner that another corner will be presented as the cutting or hullin g edge, until all four corn ers have been worn away. When this occurs new strips must replace the old ones in order to maintain the operating capacity of the machine. Within the open outer cylinder B aforesaid is placed the interior revolving cylinder C of Fig. 2, from the perimeter ot' which project the revolving rubber or leather rollers E and stationary fans or vanes F, all of which are placed in the positions before mentioned. This cylinder revolves upon a shaft, G, having its bearing in journal-boxes in the frame substan- -tially in the relation of the outer cylinder that is shown in the drawing at 011e of its ends. The axis or shaft of the cylinder C is extended sufliciently beyond or outside the end of the frame to receive on it a drum, H, which constitutes the means for giving` motion to the cylinder through the agency of a belt leading to another drum that is driven by any suitable power or motor which may be accessible, or which may beprovided for this purpose. The upper portion or half of the outer cylinder B is hinged in such manner that, while during the operation of the machine it will be maintained immovably in its position, it may be readily and quickly removed whenever occasion shall require its removal. The machine is fed through an opening, I, in the upper part of the cylinder B. In the center and near the top of the cylinder B is a longitudinal opening, K, through which the chaff, when relieved from the rice-grain, is blown out. rIhis opening should be extended by a cap or flue at an elevation sufficient to prevent any grains of rice from escaping with the lighter chaff as the operation proceeds, and as these grains fall back they will again be brought under the action of the rubber or leather rollers before mentioned. The rapid rotation of the cylinder G, and, of course, the rubber or leather rollers E, will bring the latter in opposition to the sharp edges presented by the rectangular strips d, so that the object sought to be accomplished is effected in a very thorough and satisfactory manner. The hulled, cleaned, and polished seed are thrown out of the machine at the end that is opposite to that which the pulley or drum H is placed, through an opening, L, by a powerful draught that is produced in part by the rollers E of Fig. l, but chieiiy by vanes or fans F, which, as I before stated, project from the cylinder C. The rollers E co-operate with the fans F in producing the requisite draught to expel the grains through the opening L because they occupy lines along the perimeter of the cylinder which are not coincident with the lines in correspondence with the `axis of said cylinder, and hence present an angle to the line of their rotation or orbit, which produces in their rapid rotation a corresponding divergence in the current of air that is put in motion by such rotation.

This current, being toward the end of the cylinder in which the opening L is provided, strikes vagainst the interior surface of the machine and is deiected thereby into said opening. Another oice subserved by the oblique arrangement of the rollers and fans is to carry the seed gradually away from the point at which they enter the machine and spread them along' the Whole length thereof, and thereby bringing all the rollers into use and increasing the rapidity of the operation of hulling the seed. But the current oi' air put in motion by the rollers Would not be strong enough to drive all the disengaged seed out oi the machine through the opening L, notwithstanding their rapid rotation; hence, I superadd the fans or vanes F, which, being properly placed, act with such power that a draught is produced which eXpels nearly all the seed through said opening L, and hence the seed are left in a perfectly hulled, cleaned, and polished condition when they fall from the machine.

This I have demonstrated by actual experiment with a full-sized machine recently constructed by me, and which I now have in operation in the cityT of New Orleans.

. Having described my invention, What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following:

The cylinder C, When provided with the independent-revolving rubber or leather rollers E, fans or vanes F, in combination with the open cylinder B composed of slats d, and chai-opening or flue K in aremovable cover, when these several parts are constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN N. WHITE.

Witnesses:

H. N. JENKINS, E. H. LEVY. 

